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Paralegal sentenced to 8 years after embezzling $1 million from clients

The Lowell Sun

Updated:
05/06/2013 07:24:55 PM EDT

WOBURN -- The wife of a one-time state representative candidate from Concord has been sentenced to eight years in state prison and restitution after being found guilty last week of embezzling $1 million from clients through the law firm she operated with her husband.

Following a 10-day trial last month, Lee Peck Eu Unitt, 48, of Merrimac was convicted of using clients' money to support an extravagant lifestyle that included family vacations to Malaysia, Cancun and Aruba, expensive cars including Hummers, Cadillacs, and Land Rovers; and thousands of dollars in monthly personal expenses, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors alleged that Lee Unitt essentially operated a Ponzi scheme by using money from clients' investments to pay debts due to other clients.

In Middlesex Superior Court on Monday, Judge Sandra Hamlin sentenced Lee Unitt to a total of eight years in prison followed by 20 years probation after she was convicted on April 29 to four counts of felony larceny, fiduciary embezzlement, and being a common and notorious thief. While on probation, Lee Unitt must abide by the following conditions: no contact with victims, must pay full restitution, forbidden to apply for a passport without court approval, forbidden to work in a law office or any financial services office during the term of probation, required to make full financial disclosure of assets as requested by probation, and to make tax returns available for inspection.

Unitt's husband has also been charged in his case.

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Peter Unitt, III, has been charged with larceny over $250 (two counts), conspiracy to larceny, and embezzlement. His trial in Middlesex Superior Court is scheduled for July 15.

Peter Unitt won the 2002 Republican primary for state representative, but lost in the general election against incumbent Democrat state Rep. Cory Atkins. The district then covered Concord, Carlisle and parts of Acton and Chelmsford.

Acting Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement that Lee Unitt "violated the trust of her clients by stealing their life savings and falsifying mortgage documents."

According to prosecutors, Peter Unitt practiced law at his law office in Woburn, which was known as The Crest Group, LLC. Lee Unitt worked at the firm as a secretary, business manager and paralegal.

In 2006, the first victim was referred to the Crest Group for legal representation following a car crash. There she met Lee Unitt, whom she was led to believe was an attorney with the firm.

Lee Unitt recommended that the victim refinance any property she owned so as to remove all equity from her holdings by taking out large property mortgages.

She further suggested that the victim leave the mortgage proceeds in the client trust account of the Crest Group, so the plaintiff suing the victim would not be able to get at it.

When the victim asked Lee Unitt to return the money, the victim was informed that the money was overseas and a significant amount of time would be required to have it returned. The victim is still awaiting the return of $190,729.

Lee Unitt also embezzled investment money from a married couple whom she had befriended. The wife had been involved in an automobile accident and Lee Unitt again recommended refinancing their home and investment properties, and to invest the new mortgage proceeds in an international real estate investment pool. Unitt promised a return of 11 percent or greater.

The victims entrusted over $500,000 to Unitt from refinancing proceeds and from their savings for retirement. Neither of the victims ever received an accounting as to the status of their investments nor has any of their money been returned.

Also in 2007, the defendant offered to help an unemployed friend get a fixed mortgage. Lee Unitt asked the victim to sign a pile of documents, which included false and inflated statements concerning her income.

The victim was unaware that Chase bank thereafter issued a new $218,000 mortgage, which Lee Unitt diverted and spent while the friend continued paying on her old mortgage.

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